The end, when it came was swift and savage as its birth. After 28 traumatic months at the head of the world's largest democracy, the Janata Party finally collapsed, leading to a bitter, degrading battle for succession. After a black fortnight, in which political morality was sacrificed for the policies of power, kisan leader Charan Singh emerged bloody, but victorious from the fray as the new prime minister. How long he remains on the top is now the all important question.

It made Singh lose all hopes of salvaging his bajra and jowar crop
sown on three little plots at the edge of village Nangla Chamru, on the border
of Ghaziabad
and Bulandshahr districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Despite last fortnight's rainfall, the devastation caused by the failure of this year's monsoon is horrific and unprecedented. In 21 states, the drought has ruined the kharif crop and affected the livelihood of millions of peasants struggling for survival.

May marks the end of the Rabi (winter) harvest. Farmers still anxiously scan the skies as they hasten to gather in their crops. A gigantic golden carpet has been cut back to expose huge swaths of brown earth to the sky.